Skip to main content
PMC home page
The Journal of Physiology logoLink to The Journal of Physiology
. 1968 Dec;199(2):303–317. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1968.sp008655

Secretion of kallikrein and its role in vasodilatation in the submaxillary gland

Susanne Beilenson, M Schachter, L H Smaje
PMCID: PMC1365382  PMID: 5723514

Abstract

1. The effects of parasympathetic (chorda) and sympathetic nerve stimulation on the concentration and output of kallikrein secreted in saliva from the cat's submaxillary gland were compared. Sympathetic stimulation always produced a much higher concentration (up to 500 times) and output (up to 390 times) of kallikrein than parasympathetic stimulation. In the dog, in which sympathetic nerve stimulation produces little or no secretion from the submaxillary gland, there was also a marked increase in the secretion of kallikrein when sympathetic was superimposed on parasympathetic secretion. This effect did not occur, however, in the rabbit's submaxillary gland.

2. It was possible to deplete the cat's submaxillary gland of kallikrein, either by ligation of the duct for several days or by duct ligation and sympathetic nerve stimulation, so that it was undetectable either in the gland or in saliva after stimulation of the chorda. Such glands, nevertheless, responded to chorda stimulation with a normal atropine-resistant vasodilatation.

3. There is a close parallelism between the rate of secretion of salvia and vasodilatation over a range of frequencies of chorda stimulation, but the output (and concentration) of kallikrein in saliva is distinctly different for the same frequencies of nerve stimulation.

4. Our results are consistent with the view that vasodilator nerves exist in the parasympathetic nerves to the submaxillary gland. We suggest that they are cholinergic in nature despite the fact that chorda vasodilatation is resistant to atropine. It is further suggested that neither the kallikrein—kinin system nor adrenergic vasodilator nerve fibres play a significant role in chorda vasodilatation.

Full text

PDF
303

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Bhoola K. D., Morley J., Schachter M., Smaje L. H. Vasodilatation in the submaxillary gland of the cat. J Physiol. 1965 Jul;179(1):172–184. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1965.sp007656. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. FOX R. H., HILTON S. M. Bradykinin formation in human skin as a factor in heat vasodilatation. J Physiol. 1958 Jul 14;142(2):219–232. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1958.sp006011. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Garrett J. R. The innervation of salivary glands. IV. The effects of certain experimental procedures on the ultrastructure of nerves in glands of the cat. J R Microsc Soc. 1966 Oct;86(1):15–31. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. HILTON S. M., LEWIS G. P. The cause of the vasodilatation accompanying activity in the submandibular salivary gland. J Physiol. 1955 May 27;128(2):235–248. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1955.sp005302. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. HILTON S. M., LEWIS G. P. The mechanism of the functional hyperaemia in the submandibular salivary gland. J Physiol. 1955 Aug 29;129(2):253–271. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1955.sp005351. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. HILTON S. M., LEWIS G. P. The relationship between glandular activity, bradykinin formation and functional vasodilatation in the submandibular salivary gland. J Physiol. 1956 Nov 28;134(2):471–483. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1956.sp005658. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. HILTON S. M., LEWIS G. P. Vasodilatation in the tongue and its relationship to plasma kinin formation. J Physiol. 1958 Dec 30;144(3):532–540. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1958.sp006118. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. HOLDSTOCK D. J., MATHIAS A. P., SCHACHTER M. A comparative study of kinin, kallidin, and bradykinin. Br J Pharmacol Chemother. 1957 Jun;12(2):149–158. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1957.tb00113.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Moriwaki C., Beilenson S., Schachter M. Sialotonin: vasopressor substance in cat submaxillary saliva. Nature. 1968 Jan 20;217(5125):270–271. doi: 10.1038/217270a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Morley J., Schachter M., Smaje L. H. Vasodilatation in the submaxillary gland of the rabbit. J Physiol. 1966 Dec;187(3):595–602. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1966.sp008111. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Schachter M., Beilenson S. Kallikrein and vasodilation in the submaxillary gland. Gastroenterology. 1967 Feb;52(2):401–405. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Schachter M., Beilenson S. Mediator of vasodilatation in the submaxillary gland. Fed Proc. 1968 Jan-Feb;27(1):73–75. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Skinner N. S., Jr, Webster M. E. Submaxillary gland blood flow: the role of kinins and beta-adrenergic receptors. Fed Proc. 1968 Jan-Feb;27(1):76–79. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The Journal of Physiology are provided here courtesy of The Physiological Society

RESOURCES